Hundreds of drug addicts struggle in Mexicali, ignored

In Mexicali, Mexico, many addicts live in the shadows, despite government claims that drug use does not exist in the country. These individuals often go uncounted in official statistics and receive little political attention. Many of them visit Verter, the first supervised drug consumption center on the continent, where they can use drugs safely. One of these individuals is Ismael Olvera. He has faced death multiple times and continues to struggle with addiction. At age 50, he still uses fentanyl, an extremely potent opioid. Despite the significant number of overdose deaths in the United States due to fentanyl, little is known about addicts like Olvera in Mexico. The country’s leaders have denied both the production and consumption of fentanyl, even as it becomes more prevalent. Data and public programs to support addicts are lacking in Mexico. Successive governments have focused on prevention campaigns that, according to experts, tend to criminalize substance users. Overdose deaths are rising, but access to life-saving treatments like naloxone is limited. Harm reduction activists argue that the real crisis is the lack of services for users. Many addicts at Verter share similar stories of hardship, often stemming from difficult childhoods and early exposure to drugs. The center serves about 400 people, mostly men, though women face higher mortality rates. Both Paulina Montserrat Leal, who has struggled with addiction while raising children, and others like Heriberto Salazar and Mario Martínez, highlight the ongoing battle against substance abuse in their lives. Verter provides a critical service for those unable to access similar resources in the United States. Many addicts cross the border to use the center, where they can receive clean syringes and check their drugs for purity. Despite the disheartening realities they face, individuals like Olvera and Leal express hope for a better future. However, for many, the grip of addiction remains strong.